Housing Standards Approved For South Perry Hall-White Marsh

 A change in development standards may help reduce overcrowding among new single-family homes in the South Perry Hall-White Marsh area. 

Councilwoman Cathy Bevins of the 6th District, who represents areas between Essex and White Marsh, and Councilman David Marks of the 5th district, who represents areas between Towson and Perry Hall, jointly sponsored the new legislation, passed by the Baltimore County County Council on Dec. 17, according to a county press release.

Bill 74-12 calls for a 75-foot minimum width for any new single-family detached lot in the South Perry Hall-White Marsh area. Previously, the regulation applied only to new homes north of Ridge Road. Homes south of that area could have been built within even smaller lots, according to the release.

The impacted area was defined in the South Perry Hall-White Marsh Community Plan, approved in 2002. It is bound by Belair Road in the west, White Marsh Boulvard in the north, Perry Hall Boulevard and Interstate 95 in the east and Interstate 695 in the south.

"This bill standardizes the lot width in a fast-growing area of northeastern Baltimore County," Bevins said in a release. "I believe it will protect the character of these neighborhoods and improve the quality of future development."

"We agree with community leaders that there should be one standard for building lots in the South Perry Hall area," Councilman Marks also said in the release.

South Perry Hall Improvement Association president Peggy Winchester thanked Bevins and Marks in the release and said the association "strongly supported this legislation."